Watch stem winder

ABSTRACT

A watch stem winder which is essentially a coupling or clutching element and which may be part of a holder or handle, which holder or handle may be in the form of a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil, or as the cap of such a writing instrument or the like, in which the coupling or clutching element which engages the head of the watch stem has a preformed generally concave shape and is provided with means such as a series of ribs so that it may be placed on and engage the watch stem head for winding the watch stem.

United States Patent [1 1 Wilken 51 Nov. 27, 1973 1 1 WATCH STEM WINDER Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. n r: Duane J. Wilken, 2918 E. 101th St., r- Kraus Chicago, Ill. [22] Filed: Oct. 6, 1972 CT [21] Appl. No; 295,493 A watch stem winder which is essentially a coupling or clutching element and which may be part of a holder or handle, which holder or handle may be in the form 58/73, 40l/52G,0:O1/319(5) of a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil or as [58} Fl; 63 b3 the p of Such a writing instrument or the e o arc 3 which the coupling or clutching element which enl gages the head of the watch stem has a preformed generally concave shape and is provided with means [56] v References cued such as a series of ribs so that it may be placed on and UNITED STATES PATENTS engage the watch stem head for winding the watch 1,264,082 4/1918 Jones.... 58/80 stem.

216,031 6/1879 Fairchild 401/52 X 218,267 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 8/1879 Hoffman" 401/52 X Patented Nov. 27,1973 3,774,389

FIG. 5

FIG. 1

1 7WATCH' STEM WINDER BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Wrist watch stems or wrist watch heads by which the stems are wound are normally very small in size and are sometimes difficult to be manually engaged by the fingers for the purpose of winding same, particularly when the wrist watch is worn on the wrist. An object of this invention is to provide a winder for winding the stem of a wrist watch which is essentially a coupling or clutching element which may be incorporated into or made a part of a conventional writinginstrument, such as a pen or pencil, or'the cap th'ereof, so that the pen or pencil or the cap forms the elongated holder or handlewhereby it may be manually held and the coupling or clutching element can be inserted on the head of the watch stem arid coupled thereto so that by manually rotating the'holder or handlethe watch stem is wound. This permits the ready engagement of a watch stem "head by the coupling or clutching element to wind the watch stem, the holder being held a distance from the watch stem, and the'readydisengagement therefrom.

, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS of the watch stem as in winding same;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows a modified form of construction in which the'coupling or clutching element unit is in the form of e xp ansible fingers to' compensate for different sized "winding stern heads;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 -5 of FIG. h

FIG. 6 is a modification in which'the coupling or clutching element is part of the cap of the writing instrument;

FIG. 7 is a modification showing the outer endof a writing instrument provided with a recess for the purpose of receiving the coupling or clutching element; I

FIG. 8 isa sectional view of a modified coupling or clutching element'with different dimensioned recesses on the opposite ends thereof and which can be inte grated with the structure of FIG. 7.

FIGS. 1 3

Reference will now be made to the invention asdisclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The conventional wrist watch is indicated by the nu-' watch stem (not shown) and which extends radially of the wrist watch andwhich stem head'is provided with a conventional ribbed or treaded surface 14 whereby it is normallymanually engaged by the fingers for the purpose of rotating thestem for winding the watch.

The invention herein which is the coupling or clutching element is generally designated by the numeral 16 and same is embodied in a writing instrument, generally indicated at 18, which may be a pen or pencil or the like, which has an elongated body or stem 20 with the writing point at the front end and, as shown in the drawing, is covered by a conventional cap 22 normally provided with a spring clip 24. The body or stem 20 of the writing instrument will sometimes hereinafter be referred to as the holder since it serves a dual purpose in that it holds or retains the coupling or clutching member 16 at the rear end thereof and also serves as the member whereby the instrument is held for the pur pose of both writing and utilizing the invention herein. The body or holder 20 is provided at the rear end with an annular bore or annular recessed portion 26 into which is inserted the coupling or clutching member 16, sometimes hereinafter referred to as an insert, said coupling insert 16 having a flange 28 at its outer end which engages the end 30 of the handle. The coupling insert 16'may be made of plastic or metal and is suitably anchored in the recess or bore 26 so that there is no turning movement betweenthe insert and the holder. The coupling insert 16 is formed with a preformed concave dome-shaped recess or cavity 32, the interior of which is provided with a series of preformed axially extending spaced fine ribs 36. It will be noted that the shape of the recess or cavity 32 is such that its greatest circumference is adjacent the mouth of the recess and it tapers or slopes inwardly towards the interior to define the inner dome-shaped end 34. The spaced ribs 36 continue into the dome end interior 33.

This sloping or tapering interior surface of the recess permits the ribbed recess surface to accommodate different sized stem heads.

FIG. 2 shows the coupling or clutching element 16 in engagement with the. stem head 12 and, as will be seen, the engagement is effected adjacent the mouth of the recess or cavity32. When the coupling element 16 is positioned on-the stem head, as shown in FIG. 2, it is ready and in position for winding and this may be accomplished by manually grasping the body or holder 20 anywhere along its length and rotating same, which in turn will rotate the stem head since the axially extending ribs 36 in the interior of the coupling element will engage the ribs or treads 14 on the windup head 12. However, should the windup head be of a smaller dimension than that shown herein, engagement can be effected forwindup' purpose by inserting the recess 32 of the coupling element further onto the stem head, that is, the stem head 12 will engage with the axial ribs '36 closer to the inner tapered dome end 34. The shape of the domed recess 34 permits stem heads of difi'erent dimensions, from the smallest to the largest, to be accommodated in and coupled to the coupling element FIGS. 4 AND 5 coupling or clutching element 44 comprises a body or sleeve portion 46 whereby it is slipped over the end 42 of the writing instrument and'held thereon in any suitable manner against rotation relative to the stem or holder of the writing instrument. The coupling element 44 is formed with a plurality of spaced fingers or gripping members designated by the numerals 48, which fingers are separated from each other by slots 50. The fingers or gripping members 48 are tapered or inclined forwardly as at 52 on their exterior surface to form what would appear to be a generally truncated cone. The interior surface'formed by the fingers or gripping members 48 forms a dome-shaped cavity or recess 53 with a series of axially extending fine ribs 54 adapted to engage the treads 14 on the stern head 12. The interior of the formation formed by the fingers 48 would be of a shape similar to the recess 32 and dome-shaped interior 34, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the struction shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can accommodate various sized stem heads. It has the additional advantage in that it permits, by virtue of the spaced fingers, the accommodation of a greater variety of sizes of heads, since if a head larger than that shown is to be engaged, the gripping fingers will when inserted on the larger head position themselves around said head as a result of a the spacings 50 between the fingersl The spaced fingers whether made of metal or molded of plastic have sufficient resiliency or give" to permit their accommodating and fitting onto the various sized stem heads.

FIG. 6 shows a modification in which the cap 60 of the writing instrument when integrally molded is formed with an integrally formed concave end 62 atthe closed end of the cap. In this construction the concavity 62 is dome-shaped, as previously described, and is provided with axially extending ribs 64 similar to that previously described. This concave surface would close the end of the cap but would permit its use as a coupling or clutching element for winding the stern, similar to that previously described.

FIGS. 7 and 8 FIGS. 7 and 8 show a further modification in which the writing instrument 66 is provided with a recess or bore 68 at the rear end. This recess is. adapted to accommodate an insert or plug 70. This insert or plug 70 which is the coupling or clutching element has an elongated body 72 and a central annular shoulder 73. At each of the opposite ends of the plug or insert there is a concave ordome-shaped recess each with axially extending ribs. One of said dome-shaped recesses is designated at 74 and the opposite one is designated at 76. It will be seen that both of said dome-shaped recesses are generally of the same shape, except that the recess 76 is of a larger dimension than the recess 74. By so constructing the plug or insert 70 'with different sized concavities, either concavity may be utilized to fit the particular requirement of the headsize. Thus, for use with a small windup head on a wrist watch the insert 70 may be inserted into the bore 68 with the concavity facing outwardly and the insert will be kept in that position or, if preferred, the larger concavity 76 may be used.

The shoulder 73 on the plug or insert 70 engages the outer end of the handle or body and limits the extent to which the insert can be inserted into the recess. The bore or recess 69 may be round, in which case the plug or insert may have a complementary shape but should have a longitudinal rib to engage a complementary shaped recess in the bore to prevent any relative rotation therebetween. If however the bore 68 is of any other shape such as hexagonal, rectangular, square or pentagonal, the exterior surface of the insert 70 should have a complementary shape so that it can be readily inserted and this will hold it against relative rotation between the insert 70 andthe holder 66.

The coupling inserts 70 may be supplied with writing instruments to be used as desired by the customer or may be sold as separate elements to be inserted in the writing instruments by the customer.

With this invention a very simple and inexpensive watch stem winder may be provided and same may be incorporated into awriting instrument or'the like at such a minimum cost that it would not increase the cost of the writing instrument.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for winding a wrist watch stem'while being said coupling or clutching element having a preformed concave or recessed surface adapted to be detachably positioned on the head of a wrist watch stern while so worn to effect a positive engagement therebetween so that the wrist watch stem may be rotated for winding the wrist watch by manual rotation of said holder member.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the preformed recessed surface has a series of preformed ribs adapted to engage the rib surface of the watch head.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the recessed surface is of generally dome-shaped configuration and in which the interior of the recessed surface has axially extending ribs.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the recessed surface has its largest circumference adjacent the mouth of said recess with the recessed surface sloping or tapering inwardly towards the closed end of said recess to accommodate stern heads of different diameters.

5. Means for winding a watch stem, said means comprising a coupling or clutching element at one end of an elongated holder, said coupling or clutching element formed of a plurality of spaced fingers, the interior of said fingers being provided with axially extending ribs for engagement with the stem head of the watch, said fingers being resilient to permit their expansion or contraction relative to each other to accommodate the various sized stem heads so that the watch stem may be rotated for winding same by manual rotation of said holder member.

6. Means as set forth in claim 5 in which said coupling or clutching element has a tubular portion at the opposite end whereby it' is mounted on said elongated holder.

7. Means for winding a watch stem, said means comprising a coupling or clutching element in the form of an insert having a preformed concave or recessed portion at each of the opposite ends thereof and in which one of said recessed portions is greater than the other, said insert adapted to be secured at one end of an elongated holder with one of said recessed portions exposed so that the exposed recessed portion is adapted to be detachably positioned on the head of a watch stem to effect a positive engagement therebetween so that the watch stem'may be rotated for winding the watch by manual rotation of said holder member.

8. Means as set forth in claim 7 in which the insert is removably inserted in a recess in the end of the holder member to permit selective exposure of either recessed portion. 

1. Means for winding a wrist watch stem while being worn on the hand of a person, said means including an elongated holder member adapted to be manually held by the other hand of the person, a coupling or clutching element at one end of said elongated holder member, said coupling or clutching element having a preformed concave or recessed surface adapted to be detachably positioned on the head of a wrist watch stem while so worn to effect a positive engagement therebetween so that the wrist watch stem may be rotated for winding the wrist watch by manual rotation of said holder member.
 2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the preformed recessed surface has a series of preformed ribs adapted to engage the rib surface of the watch head.
 3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the recessed surface is of generally dome-shaped configuration and in which the interior of the recessed surface has axially extending ribs.
 4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the recessed surface has its largest circumference adjacent the mouth of said recess with the recessed surface sloping or tapering inwardly towards the closed end of said recess to accommodate stem heads of different diameters.
 5. Means for winding a watch stem, said means comprising a coupling or clutching element at one end of an elongated holder, said coupling or clutching element formed of a plurality of spaced fingers, the interior of said fingers being provided with axially extending ribs for engagement with the stem head of the watch, said fingers being resilient to permit their expansion or contraction relative to each other to accommodate the various sized stem heads so that the watch stem may be rotated for winding same by manual rotation of said holder member.
 6. Means as set forth in claim 5 in which said coupling or clutching element has a tubular portion at the opposite end whereby it is mounted on said elongated holder.
 7. Means for winding a watch stem, said means comprising a coupling or clutching element in the form of an insert having a preformed concave or recessed portion at each of the opposite ends thereof and in which one of said recessed portions is greater than the other, said insert adapted to be secured at one end of an elongated holder with one of said recessed portions exposed so that the exposed recessed portion is adapted to be detachably positioned on the head of a watch stem to effect a positive engagement therebetween so that the watch stem may be rotated for winding the watch by manual rotation of said holder member.
 8. Means as set forth in claim 7 in which the insert is removably inserted in a recess in the end of the holder member to permit selective exposure of either recessed portion. 